


Violets and Doting Daddies

by asphaltcowgrrl



Series: Flowers in the Garden [2]
Category: Common Law
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-07
Updated: 2013-11-11
Packaged: 2017-12-28 18:32:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/995154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asphaltcowgrrl/pseuds/asphaltcowgrrl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Life with an infant isn't easy for Travis and Wes, but it sure does have its moments.  Sequel to Buttercups and Babies, this picks up approximately six months after the blessed event.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Not quite sure why I thought Buttercups and Babies needed a sequel, but I wrote one anyway. Why? Because babies are fun. And awful. But mostly fun.

_The thing about having a baby is that thereafter you have it. – Jean Kerr_

Age: Six Months – May

Wes stirred in his sleep, something nagging at his slumbering brain, a sound… a noise… wait, _an intruder?_

The cop in him kicked into overdrive.  He rolled onto his side, reaching for the gun that wasn’t on the nightstand, the gun that hadn’t been in its usual place for the last six months.  It was then, when the understanding filtered through his not-quite-wakened mind that the suspected intruder was instead a crying baby.  _His_ crying baby.  Violet.  

An unexpected groan escaped him.  He loved his little girl, god only knew he did, but sometimes, just sometimes, he wished she could pick better moments than say, two A. M. to need a potty break.  Wes pushed himself up onto his elbow, trying to pull it together enough for a late night diaper change. 

The gentle touch of his partner’s hand on his back stopped him mid-sit.  “Let me get her,” Travis murmured groggily.  “You always get up.  It has to be way past my turn.”

Wes smiled despite the aching tiredness that plagued him.  “It’s okay Travis, I can get her.”

Travis frowned, rubbing Wes’ back.  “All you have to do is say the word, you know and I’ll…”

Turning, he stopped him with a chaste kiss.  “I know, honey, and it’s okay, I promise.”

Violet let out another disgruntled wail, eliciting a sigh out of Wes.  “I guess that’s my cue,” he joked, pushing himself fully out of bed this time.  “Go back to sleep.”

Travis attempted to take diaper duty one more time but, rebuffed yet again, he let Wes handle it.  He was much more efficient, even if Travis had more practice at it.

 

She stared up at him with her big blue eyes, fist shoved in her mouth and feet kicking.  Wes looked down at his daughter, a smile creeping along his mouth.  He traced a round cheek with a finger, rocking slowly in the antique rocking chair he’d found in a thrift store three months back.  Wes almost hadn’t even gone inside, not until Travis insisted they check it out.  He’d never been more thankful as sometimes that rocking chair was the only thing that soothed this savage beast.        

“You’re such a pretty little girl,” he told her, smiling.  “My perfect little flower.”

“You do realize,” Travis said from the doorway, “that she’ll go to sleep faster if you rock more and talk less?”

Wes looked up at his lover’s form shadowed by the Winnie the Pooh night light.  “I do, but I can’t help it.  She’s just too cute.”

“Kinda like you,” he teased, coming over to stand at Wes’ side.  He watched the blonde making eyes at their daughter and couldn’t repress the grin that sprung forth.  “Okay little one,” Travis announced softly, “its bedtime whether your mama likes it or not.”

A mangled sound escaped Wes’ throat when Travis stole their little girl from his arms.  “Travis,” he chided, “she was fine right where she was.  And don’t call me ‘mama’.”

He tucked Violet into her crib, tickled her under the chin and turned to face his boyfriend.  “Yes, I know she was, but you and me?  We have work in the morning and you need some sleep.  So, come on lover boy, and let’s hit the hay.”

Wes gave a noncommittal grunt as he stood.  “I have to admit, this is the first time you’ve ever ordered me to bed to sleep.”

“And it’ll probably be the last time, too,” he threatened playfully.  “However, like the word or not, for better or for worse, you’re always going to be that baby’s mama.”

Wes gave him a weary smile in return, unable to argue the point tonight.  After all, being mama took a lot out of a boy.   

 

“Guess whose home, Violet!”  The baby looked up at Dakota and burbled enthusiastically.  “See, I knew you’d know your daddies on sight, such a smart girl!”

Travis grinned and held out his arms.  “She sure is, isn’t she?  Lemme have my grrrrrl!”

Wes tried to roll his eyes in disgust, but really, it was hard to blame either of them for acting the fool around that child.  Violet had a way of making the most serious of people turn silly.  He grinned, remembering the Captain’s first introduction to the little rug rat.  That had been amusing bordering on insanity.  “You two are ridiculous.”

“Oh really,” Travis drawled, dragging his attention away from his daughter and focusing it on his lover.  “And which one of us was singing nursery rhymes to her last night?”

“Travis, didn’t you say you needed a shower or something,” he deflected.  “And it wasn’t exactly a nursery rhyme.”

He snorted, vindicated.  “That’s what I thought.  And you’re right, I do.”  Travis turned to Dakota and smiled, handing Violet off to Wes.  “Excuse me for bailing but I got puked on by a drunk this afternoon.”

Dakota wrinkled her nose after Travis left the room.  “I thought I smelled something but I didn’t want to be rude.”

Wes lifted an eyebrow.  “Right?  Try riding with him.”  He gave a mock shudder.  “Lucky for him, he had a spare set of clothes at the station, or he’d have walked home.”

“And on that stinky note, I should be going.  I will see you tomorrow Miss Blue Eyes.”  She booped Violet on the nose and turned to leave.  “Oh,” she said, looking back at Wes.  “Your little one there has learned a new trick.  Lay her on her back on the floor and you’ll see what I mean.  See you tomorrow.”

“Night, Dakota.”  Wes let her out of the house, locking the door behind her.  To his daughter he said, “So, what do you have up your little puffed sleeves?  And an even better question is should we wait for your daddy to find out?”

“Whatever you two are plotting out there,” Travis called from the bedroom, “you had better wait for me!”

Wes chuckled.  Leave it to Travis to hear _that_ and not the important things like, oh, maybe dinner was ready or that they were running late?  “I suggest you hurry the hell up, Marks, so you don’t miss anything.”  Deciding to meet Travis halfway – he had had a rather nasty day after all – Wes carried Violet into the bedroom and sat on their shared bed, waiting. 

“Woah,” Travis shouted, coming out of the shower stark naked.  “Baby girl doesn’t need to see this,” he joked, grabbing a towel off the rack and wrapping it around his waist.  “Warn a lover, would you?”

The blonde just grinned.  “But what about me?  Don’t I need to see it on occasion?”  It had been a while, he mused.

Travis threw him a lascivious wink.  “Oh, you’ll see plenty of that later, I promise.  Now, let’s see baby girl’s trick.”

Gently, Wes placed Violet on her back in the middle of the bed and moved back to watch.  She lay quietly for a minute, happily sucking on her fingers.  Wes idly wondered if that meant teeth were imminent but that thought was pushed aside when Violet sighed and rolled onto her stomach with nothing more than a kick of her feet. 

“Wait,” Travis spluttered, rolling her back onto her back.  “I think I missed it.”

“Travis,” Wes snorted, laughter overcoming his protectiveness, “that is not how you handle a baby!”

Violet was undaunted, however.  She immediately rolled herself onto her stomach again, leaning forward to chew on the rucked up comforter. 

“That’s pretty awesome,” Travis said.  “Such a big girl.  Stop growing right this minute, little Miss Mitchell-Marks!”

Watching Travis reach out for their daughter, Wes remained silent.  He had been told the emotional roller coaster he’d been living on would eventually disappear after the baby was born, but for all intents and purposes, it was still lingering.  Ninety percent of the day, he was fine.  But there were moments, moments like these where he watched his lover cradle their child against his chest, when he just didn’t trust himself to speak.  Not wanting to betray his emotional instability, knowing he was unable to verbalize what he was feeling, he instead smiled at his boyfriend and their daughter.  With a kiss to Travis’ forehead, he took his turn in the shower. 

 

 

Wes climbed into bed beside Travis, snuggling up against the other’s broad chest.   Lazily, Travis slung an arm across Wes’ waist, bringing him as close to him as he could.  Travis nuzzled Wes’ neck leisurely, teasing his lover and breathing in his freshly washed body. 

The blonde’s fingers traced a wandering path up the arm holding him close.  “Travis?”

“Mmmmm,” he responded, burying his nose behind Wes’ ear. 

“Travis,” Wes repeated, fighting a tremor of anticipation that flooded through him at Travis’ touch, “do you think Violet will be enough?”

“Enough what,” he mumbled against a swath of pale skin.

He inhaled sharply as teeth grazed his shoulder.  “Enough family,” he gasped, trying to hold onto his sanity long enough to get this one important thing out before he gave in to his lover’s ministrations. 

Travis pulled back leaving a cold, wet, emptiness on Wes’ skin.  “What do you mean, ‘enough family’?”

He rolled onto his back, gazing up into Travis’ stormy blue eyes.  “Will she and I be enough family for you?  You’ve always talked about ‘when the time was right’ you wanted a woman and a baseball team of kids.  But…”

“…but I don’t care.  You alone would be enough, Wes.  Violet was just a happy bonus.  I get that itch again later and we can get a hamster or something.”

Wes chuckled, stroking a flat palm across Travis’ chest.  “Are you sure because… well, I’m – I’m not certain I can do this again.”

Travis pressed his mouth against Wes’ firmly, stopping the flow of words before they could get started.  “And last time would have been so much easier if you’d only been honest.  Don’t say it,” he stopped Wes before he could lay into him again, “because I know, I was at fault too.  I’m just reminding you.”

He sighed heavily.  Wes knew that Travis was right, on both counts.  It would have been easier if he’d just told him the truth in the beginning, but he hadn’t been able.  “I love you, you know,” he whispered, knowing even so that his lover heard his words.  “I just worry.”  _Worry that I’ll never be what you need me to be._

Travis kissed him again, with a little more passion this time.  “This, what we have right here – you, me and baby girl over there – is something you don’t have to worry about, ever, you hear me?  We’re good.”

“Nah,” Wes countered, feeling playful for the first time since the worry had snuck up on him, “we’re better than good.”

“You got that shit right,” Travis joked, pouncing on Wes, holding him down against the mattress.  “Wanna find out just how good we are?”

“Desperately,” he answered honestly.

 

Wes eagerly met Travis’ mouth with his own, biting on his lover’s full lower lip.  His right hand gripped the curve of Travis’ shoulder, holding tight, keeping him from changing his mind and fleeing.  The other was tangled in the bed sheets, grasping futilely for purchase.  He lifted his hips frantically, hungry for the feel of his boyfriend’s body against his.  Travis complied, burying himself deep within Wes’ body, crushing their lower halves together with a bruising rhythm.       

He didn’t care how it happened between them tonight, who was the aggressor and who was the receptor, all he needed was to feel wanted again.  To be something other than Violet’s daddy for just a few moments in the dark.  It went without saying that she was the most important thing in his life – followed quickly by Travis and then maybe, possibly his job – but her care took up so much of his time that he often felt like he was losing himself to her.  There seemed to be no time left over for Wes to be Travis’, since he was always too occupied being Violet’s. 

Travis had apparently decided that needed to change, _tonight_ , and for that, Wes was grateful. 

Until he heard her cry.

“Damnit,” he muttered, pushing at Travis’ chest, “Trav, I --.”

“Shut up,” Travis growled, devouring Wes’ protest with an aggressive kiss, “I’m so fucking close, she’ll be fine for four seconds.  You and me, we need to come first sometimes.”

Wes opened his mouth to argue but Travis took his ability to speak away with a series of quick, sharp thrusts.  What came out instead was closer to praise than disagreement.  “Jesus, Marks,” he grunted, coming hard on his partner’s heels. 

“Not quite that good, buttercup,” he teased, pulling away from Wes’ trembling body, “but close.  Gotta work on that.”

“You are rotten, post coital bliss notwithstanding.”

“Rotten or not,” he laughed, kissing Wes on the forehead, “that was much too long overdue.”

“Agreed,” Wes smiled, blowing a kiss back at Travis, “and pretty damn amazing to boot.”

“So glad you thought so,” he countered, tugging on a discarded pair of sweatpants. He stood and turned towards the door.

“Wait,” Wes called, sitting up.  “Where are you going?”  Panic built in his chest for no reason. 

“Just going to check on Vi, baby.  I’ll be right back.”  He winked and disappeared into the hall. 

Moments later, Violet’s agitated cries softened, then stopped completely.  Wes was one part thankful, two parts terrified by how easily Travis handled their daughter.  Unable to just lie there and wait for his boyfriend to return, Wes rolled out of bed, feeling every ache in his misused body until he was on his feet, hitching a pair of pajama bottoms that quite possibly weren’t his over his hips. 

Travis looked up from Wes’ favorite spot, Violet in one arm, a bottle attached to the other.  “What are you doing here,” he asked gently.  “I got up so you could stay in bed.”

Wes moved closer, running a hand across Travis’ hair.  “I was worried you might need help.”

A deep laugh rumbled out of Travis.  “I’m capable, you know.  All those years in foster homes taught me some useful skills as well.”

“As if knowing how to hot wire a car isn’t useful,” Wes teased. 

“Only so long as you don’t get caught,” Travis reminded him.  “But we’re good, Wes.  Go back to bed.  I’ll be there in a few.  Promise.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”  Wes kissed Travis’ mouth, lingering for a moment before planting a light buss on his daughter’s cheek. 

He wandered back into their bedroom, the air scented with the remnants of their combined showers and unrestrained lovemaking.  Sighing, Wes collapsed onto his pillow.  By the time Travis returned eight and a half minutes later, he was sound asleep.  


	2. Chapter 2

_Mother is a verb, not a noun.  – Proverb_

Age: Seven Months – June

“What’s the matter with baby girl?”  Travis stood in the entrance to the nursery, leaning against the doorjamb. 

Violet had been inconsolable practically all night.  She’d switched between wailing and sobbing for hours.  Her tiny face was red and bathed in tears.  “I don’t know, Trav,” Wes sighed.  “I think she’s getting teeth.  See how she keeps chewing on everything?” 

He could see Wes was exhausted.  Every time he’d come in here tonight to take his turn, he’d been refused.  Wes might balk at being called ‘mama’ but it was exactly what he was to this child.  Travis figured he should give it one more shot.  “Let me take her so you can get some rest, baby.” 

Wes watched Travis reach his arms out making a ‘gimme’ motion with his fingers.  Travis tried to ignore the internal debate as it crossed his partner’s face.  Just when he expected to be denied again, Wes’ posture relaxed and he held Violet out to him.

“I don’t know what to do for her, Travis.”  His voice broke as he said it, exhaustion and frustration overcoming him.  “I’ve tried everything I could find online and nothing works.  Next step is binding and gagging her, but I’d really rather not go there tonight.”

“We’ll figure it out,” he promised, taking their daughter into his arms.  Travis snuggled Violet against his chest, praying she’d either wear herself out or simply just calm down for a minute.  Her sobbing slowly eased into stuttering snuffles.  “And see, she’s fine.  You should have given her to me hours ago.”

Wes shook his head.  “I don’t know how you just did that, but thank you.”  He came over and kissed Travis’ cheek before turning to leave.  He hesitated at the door.  “You sure you’re okay with…”

“You getting some sleep?  Hell yes.  You’re cranky when you’re tired.  Hell, you’re crank when you’re not tired.”

“And you are a jerk.  Goodnight, Travis.”

He grinned.  “Night, baby.”

 

Wes exited the nursery and was almost to the bedroom when Violet screamed.  Not the cries of pain and weariness she’d been sharing all night, but something different.  Something about this cry gripped Wes’ heart, refusing to let go.  She sounded terrified. 

It was irrational, he knew, because Travis was the sweetest and gentlest man he knew, even if he was also the most aggravating.  But he couldn’t help his gut instinct – that maternal instinct he so readily denied – and he raced back to the nursery.  Travis bounced Violet on his hip, whispering to her in a consoling way, but Vi wasn’t having any of it.     

Wes appeared in the nursery’s doorway, panic clear on his face.  “What the hell?”

Travis looked up, worry in his expression.  “I don’t – I don’t know what happened, man.  You left and she started screaming.”

“She sounds terrified.”

Violet turned to the sound of Wes’ voice, eyes wide and tear-filled.  Her gaze locked on his as she stretched out her arms and started to sob.  Wes’ heart melted.  He moved to Travis’ side and took their daughter from his arms.

“Wes, wait…”  He tried to pull the little terror back against his chest. 

He shook his head.  “It’s okay, I can do this for a little longer.  I’ve been doing most of the night after all.”

Travis frowned, worried.  “I can stay, yanno, for moral support or something?” 

Wes shook his head, sitting heavily into the rocking chair.  “Go back to bed.  There’s no reason for us to both be zombies in the morning.  One cranky pants in this family is more than enough.”

He settled into the rocker, situating his daughter into the crook of his left elbow.  Tears still streamed down her delicate little face, but the fist in her mouth stifled the worst of her cries.  Travis retrieved the blanket Mrs. Dumont had knitted for her baby shower and covered his lover and his child with its pastel warmth.  Placing a gentle kiss first on Violet’s forehead and then Wes’ cheek, Travis sighed.

“Is there anything I can do,” he asked.  “I feel so helpless… useless…”

“Travis, don’t, please.  You are so good with her all the time, there’s nothing you can do if all she wants is me.” 

He stared at the blonde for a moment longer before giving him another chaste kiss.  “I know, but it doesn’t make me feel like less of a heel for going to bed while you stay up.”

“That’s because you are a heel, Marks.  You’re also my own personal Casanova, so I can’t say I’m complaining.  Now go to bed.”

“Okay, but only because you said so.”

Wes shook his head and cuddled his now-quiet daughter.  The Tylenol must’ve finally kicked in and he couldn’t be more thankful.  Maybe, just maybe, he could get an hour or two of rest.

 

Travis rolled over to wake his lover only to find his side of the bed empty.  He rubbed his eyes for a moment considering. 

“Wes?”  He was afraid to raise his voice above a loud whisper for fear of setting the demon child off again.  “Wes where’d you go?”

He passed by the nursery and gave a quick look in before moving away.  Travis stopped and did a double take.  Wes was sprawled in the rocking chair, Violet securely tucked into one arm, both sound asleep.  Unable to stop grinning, he moved quietly back to their bedroom, procured his phone from the end table and crept back.  Wes wouldn’t ever forgive him for what he was about to do – his mouth was hanging wide open for heaven’s sake! – but Travis had to have this memory.  Smirking, he snapped a quick picture before stuffing the phone in the pocket of his sweats. 

“Hey baby,” he whispered, gently shaking Wes’ unburdened arm. 

“Hmmmm?”  Wes stirred and began to stretch before noticing the weight against his body.  “Oh, ow, did I sleep here all night?”  He straightened with a bit of help from Travis.

“Part of it, but at least you slept.  Why don’t you take baby girl into our room and climb into bed?  Maybe she’ll sleep longer with you near her.”

“But what about – what time is it?”

“Six-thirty,” Travis said.  Wes opened his mouth to report the obvious – he needed a shower and food and work – but Travis stopped him before he could start.  “No way.  You were up until after two, you are not working.  Take the kid and go get some sleep. I’ll let the cap know.”

“But….”

“But nothing.  You’ve not missed a day since coming back, he won’t say a word.  Do you want me to call Dakota and ask her to stay home?”

Wes shook his head.  “No, no actually I think it might be good if she’s here.  Hopefully Violet will behave long enough for me to get some rest.  If nothing else, I can use her to prop myself up.”

Travis nodded.  “Sounds good, man.  Now, go back to bed and I’ll let her in, okay?” 

“Yeah, okay.  Thanks, Travis.”

“You are so welcome, buttercup.  Now, come on.”

He gently lifted the sleeping bundle from his lover’s arms, holding out a hand to help Wes to his feet.  Travis followed him into the bedroom, waited while he got settled, and then nestled their child into the portable crib they kept bedside for emergency sick nights.    

“All tucked?”  Travis asked with a grin.

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Good.”  He kissed Wes’ forehead noisily, eliciting a tired laugh out of the blonde.  “I’m going to wash this funk off of me and go wait for Dakota.  Sleep well, baby.”

Wes tried to respond, but found himself unable as sleep claimed him again.

 

“But she’s sooooo cute,” Dakota laughed, watching the little dark-haired baby entertaining herself on the floor.  “I don’t believe for one minute that she’s a demon like Travis said.”

“Wait,” Wes laughed, “Travis called our delightful little ray of sunshine a _demon_?”

“He sure did.  He said, and I quote, ‘that little demon did not stop screaming until two A. M.’”

“Well, he has a point there,” Wes reluctantly agreed.  “But those are the joys of parenthood, I guess.”

Dakota reached out and touched his wrist.  “He was laughing as he said it, Wes.  I doubt he really thinks she’s a demon.”

“I hope not,” he chuckled, “because he spawned her.”  Wes watched Violet roll onto her back and put her feet in the air.  She scrutinized them there for a moment before bringing one foot to her face and shoving it into her mouth.  “VIOLET!”  He wasn’t sure if he should be horrified or amused by this.

Dakota laughed heartily.  “She’s not done that for you yet?  It’s a baby’s favorite trick I think.”

Wes rubbed his face with his fingers.  “No, I can safely say I have not yet seen my daughter try and eat her own toes.  I have seen her try and eat Travis’, for some unknown reason, but never her own.  It is rather cute, isn’t it?”

“Adorable,” Dakota agreed, reaching forward to tickle the little monster’s belly, “just like she is.”

Wes and Dakota looked up at the sound of Travis’ key in the lock.  Violet must’ve heard too because she released her foot and pulled herself into a sitting position to await her daddy’s arrival.  At first sight of Travis’ dark head, she crawled to Wes’ side, hiding behind his leg. 

“Aw, whatsa matter with my baby girl,” Travis asked, watching her blue eyes widen as he got nearer.  “Can a daddy get some loooove?”

Dakota stifled her laughter behind her hand.  “I understand more and more every day why you couldn’t resist this bozo.”

“Heeeeyyy,” Travis said, sitting on the arm of the couch beside Wes.  “I kinda resemble that remark.”

Violet turned her head upwards so she could see her daddy looking down at her.  Her mouth fell open and a giggle escaped.  Grasping Wes’ pant leg, she pulled herself up into a standing position to be closer to Daddy’s big smile.  One arm stretched out to him in invitation while the other grasped desperately for stability.

“Now there’s my girl,” he cooed.  “No more of that ‘I only want my Mama’ stuff you pulled last night, I see.”

“About that,” Wes began, “Dakota said that she’s been doing some reading…”

“…so that I can be as much help with Violet as I can…”

“…and she discovered that babies go through a bit of mommy-centered separation anxiety at this age.”

“Ahhh,” Travis said, relieved.  “That would make a lot of sense.  She sounded terrified when Wes left the nursery last night and wouldn’t settle down until he came back.”

“Told you it wasn’t your fault,” Wes teased.  “Although, being left alone with you like that, I’d have screamed, too.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” he teased back, “whatever you say, blondie.”  He picked the light of his life off the floor and brought her onto his lap.  “Nice to know you’re fine as long as he’s in your line of sight.  Oh, and you know what this means, Wes?”

“No, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me, aren’t you?”

“Of course,” he grinned.  “It means that, no matter how much you hate it or deny it, you really are this kid’s mama.”

Wes groaned.  “Please can we not start this again?  I know I’m her mother.  I carried her, I gave birth to her… I just don’t want to be called Mama!  Do I even _look_ like someone’s mother?”

Travis chuckled and Dakota glared at him.  “Your man here had a horrible night can you cut him some slack?”

Wes barked a laugh, loud enough to startle Violet next to him.  “Sorry Vi,” he apologized, still laughing, “but your _daddy_ just got told by big, bad Dakota.”

“I hate you both,” Travis mock growled.

“Well, you can hate me all you like,” Dakota said, standing, “but you’ve gotta love him.”  She tossed a wink at Wes and moved to leave.

“Hey, Dakota?  Thanks.”

“For coming over?  Anytime.  It’s what friends do.”

“Not just that,” Wes admitted.  “But for what you said, you know, earlier.”

“About you not being a horrible parent?  Wes, it’s obvious that you aren’t.  She’s happy, she’s healthy, and you two are doing the best you can. Even experienced parents make mistakes.”   She gave him a quick hug before walking through the door. 

“So, you spilled your guts to Dakota of all people?”  Travis poked him in the side. 

“I’m blaming lack of sleep, but yeah, I did.  She said I looked awful, I broke down, we talked, and then she made me go back to bed.”

“That’s my girl,” Travis praised the absent woman.  “I hate that you couldn’t spill to me, but I’m just glad you managed to get it out.  Feel better?”

He nodded.  “I do, and I’m sorry Travis. It’s that you listen to me all day long and well into the night.  Sometimes I worry that you’re going to get tired of listening to me complain and leave.”

Violet stretched for her mama and Travis let Wes take over.  “I couldn’t ever, not before when you pulled a gun on me, definitely not now.”

“Glad to hear it,” he confessed.  “I don’t think I could do this without you.”

“And I’m glad to hear _that_.”  He slid an arm around the blonde’s shoulders, pulling him and the little one closer. “So, baby girl pick up any bad habits while I was away today?”

Wes laughed.  “Just the usual for a terror her age.  Watch.” 

He dangled Violet an inch off the ground until she stopped wriggling and let her toes touch.  As soon as her feet hit the carpet, her knees buckled and then straightened quickly.  Giggling, she began bouncing rapidly, looking between her two men for approval.  With a shriek of joy, she rewarded them both with a big, wet, open mouthed grin. 

“Oh my god, Wes?  Did you see that?”  Travis was beaming, pointing at the dancing baby.

“Yeah, she’s been doing it all…”

“No,” Travis interrupted, “this is awesome and so so cute, but look!  She has a tooth!”

“What?”  Wes scooped Violet up in a hiccup of surprise, turning her to face him.  Balancing her on a leg, she began to bounce all over again.  “Wait… baby… Violet, hold still!”  His laughter belied his frustration.   

“It’s on the bottom, right here.”  Travis pointed to the center of his bottom lip. 

“If she’d only stop struggling… ah, there!”  He peered into her mouth the second she reopened it in a belly laugh of epic proportions.  Then, like the smitten fool he was, Wes touched the tip of his finger to the sharp sprout of tooth. “Ow!”  He laughed and pulled his finger out of her now closed mouth, shaking the pain away. 

 

Travis laughed heartily, amused that the most intelligent man he knew could still, on occasion, be so stupid.  But mostly, he was just thankful to have things back to normal.  Well, as normal as _this_ could ever be.  


	3. Chapter 3

_What a happy and holy fashion it is that those who love one another should rest on the same pillow.  – Nathaniel Hawthorne_

Age: Eight Months – July

“Travis, are you sure you can do this?”  Wes held a divided baby bowl with oatmeal in one side and mashed avocado in the other.

“Of course I can, I’m the master baby feeder, remember?”  Travis took the bowl from his boyfriend and looked inside.  “This is gross, man.  Avacado?  For breakfast?”

Wes shrugged.  “This is California and if they can stuff it in an omelet then she can eat it for breakfast.  Besides, avocados have fatty acids that are good for brain development.”

Travis stared at him.

“Oh-kaaaay, I’m going to the store.  Be right back.”  He ruffled Violet’s obnoxious curls and kissed Travis’ cheek.  “Try not to destroy my kitchen, please.”

“Yeah, whatever you say, blondie,” Travis called after him.  Conspiratorially, he whispered to the baby in the high chair, “I don’t think he trusts us.”

“I don’t,” Wes replied, the door shutting behind him. 

 

“Let that be a lesson to you, young lady.  Your mama has ears like a hawk.”  Violet giggled and reached for her food bowl.  “Hold your horses, kid, one thing at a time.”

Travis snapped the bib Wes had provided around her neck, assured himself she was strapped in, and settled in to feed his little girl.

“Lucky you,” he tried to convince her, “oatmeal and avocado for breakfast. Yuummmy!”

“Aaaaah,” she reminded him, opening her mouth and reaching for the spoon in his hand. 

“Okay, okay, I can take a hint.”  He scooped a bite of oatmeal onto the spoon and swooped it through the air to her open mouth. 

Violet worked her lips and tongue around the food and drooled half of it back out before opening up for more.  Travis tried the avocado and waited.  When she didn’t spit it back out, he was impressed.  Going back for the oatmeal, he grinned at her.  “Well, I’ll be.  Maybe your mama knows what he’s talking about after all.  But it’s still gross.  Where are the paper towels?”

Realizing he’d forgotten to bring them along, Travis put the spoon into the oatmeal and wandered into the kitchen.  Halfway to the towels, he comprehended his mistake.  Turning and rushing back to the table, it was already too late.  Violet tossed the useless spoon onto the floor beside her high chair, instead choosing to use one chubby hand to stuff oatmeal into her mouth.  Using the other, she dug into the avocado. 

“Oh baby girl,” Travis half sighed, half laughed.  “You just got us both grounded.”

A giggle wafted up from the little blue-eyed demon in the high chair.  She stuffed another handful of food into her mouth, smearing her cheek and nose with oatmeal.  Travis ripped off a paper towel and tried to do damage control without much luck.  She pushed him away with one avocado-y hand, getting it on him and in her hair.

“Violet, how on earth did you get oatmeal in your ear,” he asked, still attempting to clean her face and hands before Wes got back.  She giggled and whacked him in the face with a fistful of oatmeal.  “Okay, now that’s just nasty, kid.” 

Laughing, he wiped the oatmeal off his cheek and jaw, watching her eyes dance with glee.  He had a sneaking suspicion it was probably in his hair, too, but he was afraid to look. 

“Oh for the love of god,” he heard a familiar voice say most despondently.  “What the hell happened?  TRAVIS!”

Reluctantly, Travis looked up from trying to clean off the kid and met Wes’ angry eyes.  “Look, I forgot the paper towels and…”

“…AND YOU LEFT HER ALONE WITH HER FOOD?  I thought you were the baby feeding master?”

Travis puffed out his chest a bit before responding.  “I am… I’m just not very bright about it.”

“Ya don’t say,” Wes muttered sarcastically.  “I can’t leave you two alone, can I?”

It was pretty obvious from the sound of his voice that he was disgusted.  Travis sighed, defeated. “I guess not.  I really just didn’t think and…”  _Wait.  Was Wes laughing?_ He looked up and saw his partner with one hand covering his mouth.  The blonde’s chest shook with restrained mirth. 

Wes caught his eye and held his hands out.  “I’m sorry… I was mad at first but… but really, this is just too much…”  Wes snorted, surprising them both and Travis joined in the laughter.  “I mean, how exactly did she get it in her ear, Travis?”   

“I was wondering the same thing,” he confessed.  “Although, when she threw that handful of oatmeal, I think she even got it in _my_ ear.”

Wes shook his head, wanting to be pissed but unable to manage it.  “I really can’t leave you two alone, can I?”

“Apparently not if you want more food in the kid than on her.”

“I swear,” Wes laughed, lifting his food-covered child from the highchair and holding her away from his body, “I sometimes think I’m raising _two_ children.”

Travis opened his mouth to protest when he realized that Wes wasn’t all that far off the truth. 

Age: Nine Months – August

Wes watched Violet pull herself into a standing position using the couch as her support.  She wiggled her backside and giggled happily at her daddy.  He smiled while Travis played hide-and-seek with his badge. 

“Uh oh,” Travis said, hiding the object behind his back, “where’d it go?”

“Da,” she asked, looking at his hands and around her for the missing object.  “Go”?

“She’s brilliant,” Travis commented without taking his eyes off his daughter.

Wes didn’t want to burst his bubble by reminding him that she was probably as advanced as any other kid her age, but who didn’t want to believe his child was a savant?  What harm in letting him have this illusion?  “How can she not, Marks.  She’s yours, isn’t she?”

Travis scowled, glancing at his boyfriend. “You are an ass.”

“You might want to start curbing your mouth, honey.  She’s getting to that age where she’s only going to repeat the things you wish she never learned.” 

“Point.”  Travis snuck his badge out from behind his back, moving it in front of Violet’s eyes.

“Da!”  She looked over her shoulder at Wes, wide-eyed and grinning.  “Ma!  Mamamamama!”

“Yes, baby, I see that neat trick your daddy just did.  He’s so cool, isn’t he?”

Vi’s round mouth split into an epic grin, one so much like her father’s.  “Ya,” she agreed, nodding her head once, sharply. 

Travis’ gaze moved from his precious little monkey to his jerky boyfriend.  “You are so lucky I love you right now.”

He couldn’t stop the grin that followed.  Ninety-seven percent of the time, it was him saying those exact words to Travis.  It felt good to get the return volley on occasion.  Meant he could get under his lover’s skin, too.  “And I love you back,” he agreed.  “Which reminds me, I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“No,” Violet chipped in. 

“I don’t think she’s done playing,” Travis pointed out. 

“You can carry on with your game as long as you give me at least half your attention.”  It wasn’t an ideal way to have this conversation, but he was worried he’d lose his nerve later if he didn’t say something now.

“Ma, no,” Violet said again.

Wes sighed.  “I knew this day was coming and I have dreaded it.”

Travis laughed at his lover’s apprehension.  “It’s only going to get worse, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“No!”

“We didn’t ask you,” Travis told her, gently.  “What did you want to talk about?”

Wes shrugged, sitting on the arm of the couch.  “Us, I guess.”

Travis pulled Violet into his lap, stalling for time.  “What about us?  Are we not good?”

“No,” Wes said, considering his words carefully.  “We’re good we’re… just not complete, I guess.”

“Not complete?  Look around you, man, we’ve got a house, a kid, a fish in a tank, and each other.  What more do we need?”

He deflated a bit, casting his eyes downward, looking for the answers he needed in the trail of toys scattered across the living room.  “It’s nothing, Travis, you’re right.  What more do we need?”

Wes bent to give him a kiss.  Travis jerked his head away, glaring at the blonde.  “What the hell?  Of course it’s something.  You don’t ever want to talk about nothing.  Hell, even our dinner conversation is fraught with meaning these days.”

“Look, I told you, you were right, just drop it.”  The blonde stood and walked away, leaving his lover and child on the couch together.  He hated to admit it, but Travis did have a point.  Why did he feel the need to push his luck when he already had everything he could ever want?  _Because you’re a greedy ass, Wes_ , he scolded himself.  _You always have to have it all, don’t you?  Family, dog, nice house, nice car…_

“Fuck me,” Travis muttered, standing to follow Wes.  He paused long enough to deposit Violet in her playpen before going after him.

“Daaaaaaaaa,” she wailed, “nooooooo!”

Travis caught up with him in the nursery.  Wes was folding Violet’s spare comforter angrily, attempting to ignore him.  Roughly, he yanked the bedding out of his partner’s hands.  “What the fuck, Wes?  What is wrong with you?  And don’t you dare tell me nothing you stubborn little brat!”

Wes pushed Travis back and stomped a foot.  “I am not a brat.”  At Travis’ lifted eyebrow, he softened a bit.  “Travis, we do have everything, but I want – I hope – for more.”

“More?  Like what?”  He gently took Wes by the forearm and guided him to the window seat.  Sitting, he pulled the blonde down beside him.  “What more could either of us want?  We have love and happiness and Violet and…”

“Where is she anyway?”  A flutter of panic began to rise in his chest.    

“I stashed her in baby jail,” Travis said. 

“I wish you wouldn’t call it that, you are a cop you know, it could give her the wrong idea.”

“No, it couldn’t, not if she’s a good girl like she has been, and you’re avoiding my question.”

He sighed heavily.  Travis was right again, damn him.  “Do you ever think about… maybe… getting married?  Someday?”

Travis slung an arm across Wes’ shoulders, bringing him into a hug.  “Honestly?  Not really.”

Wes blinked, trying to focus on the closeness of his lover and not on the surprising words he’d just uttered.  “Why not?”  He prayed that his hurt didn’t show in his voice.

“I don’t know man, because I’ve always been so lousy at commitment?  You’d hunt my ass down and pistol whip me if we got married and I bolted.  And then you’d let baby Vi gnaw my face off with those three teeth of hers just for good measure.”

“Didn’t you just say we had it all?  Why would you want to bolt if this was everything you needed… wanted?”

“That’s the question, isn’t it, buttercup?”  He pressed a hard kiss to Wes’ temple, trying to gather his thoughts.  “It sounds stupid but, this is temporary – or it seems that way.  You know what I mean?  Like a ring makes it permanent and then you’re stuck.  Like we are now, it feels like there’s still a way out.”  Travis paused in his explanation, squeezing his boyfriend to him even more tightly.  “Not that I’m looking for a way out, I’m not, I swear.  I’ve never been happier – or more content – than I am with you and Violet.”

“You just want a visible escape hatch,” Wes muttered. 

“You make it sound horrible.”

“It makes me _feel_ horrible,” Wes pointed out, “so I guess we’re even.  Next time, when I tell you it’s nothing?  Take my word for it and let it go.”

He shrugged out of Travis’ embrace and stalked out of the nursery.  Why had he expected anything different?  More to the point, why was he so surprised by his revelation?  He’d known Travis for far too many years to ever believe he’d want to settle down for good with one person.  Even if that person in question had given him a child, a home. 

“For someone so smart, you can be so excessively stupid, Wes,” he reprimanded himself.

 

Travis sat in the window seat, toying with a small stuffed penguin Dr. Ryan had given Violet a few weeks ago.  He couldn’t believe Wes had broached that particular subject with him, but really, he should have expected it.  Wes liked rules, they kept life neat and orderly.  Dirty dishes on the right, clean on the left.  Clothes in the hamper, not on the floor.  It stood to reason that he would want to get married because, typically, you got married and _then_ you had your babies.  But Travis had mucked that one up big time. 

He was now terrified that he’d mucked it all up beyond fixing.  Wes had become much more forgiving since they’d given in to their hearts and become a couple – then a trio – but there were some things that even Travis knew were non-negotiable.  Colors and whites got washed separately.  Half eaten food did not, under any circumstances, go back into the refrigerator unless properly contained.  Maybe marriage was one of those my way or the highway issues? 

Travis prayed that that wasn’t the case.  He didn’t want to lose Wes – and by default, Violet, because he knew without a doubt there would be no discussion in who the custodial parent would be in this case – but he wanted to break his heart even less.  Commitment wasn’t something Travis was good at.  He couldn’t even stay loyal to a brand of ice cream, who the hell could expect him to stay loyal to just one man?  It terrified him, and shamed him more than a little, to think that heartbreak and betrayal were the undeniable end result of marriage to Travis Marks.

 

Wes gazed down at his daughter, the child he shared with the man he loved, and the ache in his heart eased.  She turned her wide, blue eyes on him expectantly.  He held his arms out in askance and she lifted one pudgy arm in response.  With a sad smile, he lifted her out of ‘baby jail’ and cuddled her close, pressing his nose to her head. 

“Until you, I never cried, Violet.  Never.  Now, I seem to do it four times a day.  Sometimes it’s with joy because I love you so much.  Other times it’s because I hurt so much, am so afraid, and am so confused that I don’t know what else to do.” 

She fisted her hands in the fabric of his off-white button up, happily sucking on her forearm.  He stroked her wayward curls that were the color of Travis’, but so much larger and looser.  Passively, he wondered if he’d ever had curly hair like this.  For as long as he could remember, his own locks had been cropped short so he couldn’t say for sure where the crazy corkscrews came from.  Wes chuckled at the way his thoughts wandered when spending quiet time with his little one.       

“Vi, I did something horribly wrong.  I made your daddy unhappy by asking him something I should have already known the answer to.  I have no doubt he loves me, both of us, but he doesn’t want to marry me either.  I don’t know how I’m going to reconcile this, but I’m going to have to if I want him to stick around.  It hurts and I hate feeling so weak.  But what can I do?”

Violet lifted her head, locking her eyes on his.  He saw so much of Travis in her face – from her smile to her eyes and beyond – that it almost broke his heart.  “Mamamamama,” she babbled happily, putting one tiny hand on his cheek. 

“Well, I love you too, baby girl.”

“And I love you both you know, despite my big, dumb ass mouth.” 

Travis wrapped his arms around Wes’ waist from behind, resting his head against his lover’s back.  Wes traced his fingers along Travis’ dark skin.  “I know you do, I’ve never doubted that.  I also love your big, dumb ass mouth, even when it’s being a big, dumb ass.”

He could feel the rumble of laughter in Travis’ chest.  “I’ve never been so grateful.  Wes, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, Trav, not for being honest.”

“But I hurt you,” he said.

“You did,” Wes confessed, “but we’ll get through this just like we’ve gotten through everything else.”

Travis pulled back and turned Wes so that they were facing.  “We’re sure as hell going to give it a shot, aren’t we?”  

Wes nodded, unable to speak.  Instead, he pressed a sweet kiss to Travis’ lips.  A promise to do just that, or to die trying. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to apologize... this started out all light and fluffy and sort of devolved into something not even resembling light and fluffy. But hopefully it's still enjoyable. Thanks for sticking around. :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter started out to be a short fluff bit for Warren's birthday last month and wound up turning into this entire fic (all six chapters of it). For better or for worse, this is the chapter you have to blame (or cheer?). Enjoy. <3

 

_God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.  – Voltaire_

Age: Ten Months – September

Despite the fact that both Travis and Violet were now sleeping through the night, Wes still had trouble.  Too many insomniac nights left him unable to relax enough to sleep well.  So when he rolled over onto his back that morning, no one could blame him for shrieking like a little girl.

“You two are trying to kill me,” he said, trying to keep his heart in his chest.  Why Travis thought hovering over him until he awoke was a good idea, he didn’t know.  

“Who, us?”  Travis grinned, standing Violet on the mattress next to her Daddy.  She balanced for a moment before tottering onto her backside.  “Whoospy, baby,” he laughed, turning back to his partner.  “We’d never intentionally try to kill you, especially not on your birthday, baby.”

“Yah, birfdaaaaaaah,” Violet cheered, clapping happily. 

Wes chuckled, pulling his little girl into his arms and cuddling her against his chest.  “Well, gee, thanks, Travis, much appreciated there, honey.”

“Mama birfdaaaaaaaaah,” Violet burbled, happily toying with the hair on ‘Mama’s’ arm. 

Biting his lip, he counted to ten.  Twice.  When Wes felt like he could hold a reasonable conversation, he turned to his lover.  “Not fu--.”  He breathed and started again.  “Not freaking funny, Travis.  You know how I feel about that.”

“Hey man,” Travis put his hands up in a placating gesture.  “I know, trust me, after our last fight over that, I got it.  I swear, this isn’t my fault.”

“Mama,” Violet said, touching Wes’ wrist with a little finger. “Papa,” she continued, looking at Travis.

Wes scrubbed his face with the palm of his hand.  “Why me?”

Travis shrugged.  “I dunno, but I think it’s cute.”

“Of course you do,” he said, exasperated. 

“We can ask Dr. Ryan, but I’m sure that she just knows.”  Travis planted his backside on the mattress nearest Wes. 

“Knows what?”  Wes reached out and took Travis’ hand in his, squeezing lightly. 

“That she came out of you, man, what else?”  Laughing, he kissed Wes’ temple.  “Now, get a move on, we have breakfast plans for Mama’s birfdaaaaah.”  Travis stood, taking Violet into his arms.     

He waited until he was sure they were both out of hearing distance before shaking his head and laughing.  “Just great, my kid calls me Mama and there’s nothing I can do about it.  She’s too much like Travis to argue with.”

 

Travis had really thought this one out, Wes realized as the gigantic platter of pumpkin pancakes were set before him.  Not only had he remembered Wes’ love of all things pumpkin, he’d remembered there was only one diner in town that served the glorious things that was not one of those nasty, ratty chain deals.  A place that happened to be Wes’ favorite for a variety of reasons, this particular breakfast being just one of them. 

Violet sat at the end of the booth’s table, secured tightly in her high chair, munching happily on a bite of scrambled egg.  Her bottle of formula sat within reach, just in case she decided that solid food was not on her breakfast agenda today. 

He dipped his fork into the spiced whipped cream topping his pancakes and thought about how far they had come from that drunken night eighteen months ago.  Impossible as it seemed, he and Travis were a couple now.  A committed couple at that, with a house and a baby.  A baby!  Wes was amazed every day that this little bundle of tears and laughter was his.  _Theirs_.  Watching Violet, seeing her move from analytical analysis of the whipped cream on his fork to the impulsive reach into his plate of food only further convinced him that she was one part Mitchell and two parts Marks. 

“Vi, really?”  He couldn’t blame her though, she’d only reached for his pancakes after her Daddy had snuck his own finger-full of creamy deliciousness.  “Travis, you need to stop giving her ideas.”

“I wasn’t trying to give her ideas, baby.”  He wiggled his eyebrows in a very suggestive manor, causing Wes to choke on his mouthful of pancake.   

“You are beyond incorrigible sometimes,” he laughed.  “But I must admit, I like how you think.”

Travis grinned that brilliant, broad grin that had made Wes fall in love with him.  “Well, I mean, I have to give you your birthday present sometime, right?”

Wes tried to swallow his disappointment before it could show on his face.  He didn’t know why he was expecting something more – especially after their very impassioned, week-long discussion about Wes’ no-gifting policy – but the sinking feeling in his stomach told him he was feeling it all the same.  “Will there be whipped cream involved?”  

He prayed his attempt at a joke covered the confusion he was feeling.  Considering just how little ‘alone time’ they got, he should be thankful Travis was even interested.  That they had simply managed breakfast without a screaming fit was gift enough.   

“Could be,” Travis teased, licking the sticky sweetness from his finger, “but I doubt it’ll taste as good as this does, wow.  Do we even own any cinnamon?”

And just like that, the disappointment was gone and they were just back to being _them_.  Travis started spoon-feeding whipped cream to Violet.  The kid, in true baby fashion, was trying her level best to get it in her hair, in her lap, and on her Daddy’s nose.  Anywhere but where it belonged – in her mouth. 

Wes now knew Travis’ views on commitment and he was coming to terms with it.  Slowly.  They’d made it this far, he could hold out a bit longer.  Even if the day never came, he could be content with forever being Travis’ boyfriend.  After all, Travis had given absolutely no indication he wanted out anytime soon, so why was he obsessing over the one thing he knew he wasn’t ever going to get out of the boy?  Travis Marks wasn’t the marrying kind and he needed to man up and accept it.   

Wes forcibly pushed the thought aside before it could take a firmer hold and focused on the here and now, his lover and their child, and what the rest of the day had in store for him. 

 

“She is officially down for the count.”  Travis snuggled into the spot beside Wes on the couch, pressing a kiss to his lover’s jaw.  A light sprinkling of growth had formed over the day, just enough to tickle his lips as he passed them along Wes’ skin. 

“Travis,” Wes groaned, “are you sure she’s asleep?”

He trailed his kisses lower, to the underside of his jaw, then his throat.  “Buttercup, that child is so worn out she may not even wake in the morning, trust me.”  He emphasized his point with a little nip behind the ear. 

“I can’t trust you when you’re this horny, Travis.”

A throaty chuckle warmed Wes’ skin.  “You are so right there, baby.”

Wes turned into Travis’ kisses, unable to deny him for long.  He’d hidden his feelings for so long that resistance was pointless.  Between Travis’ insistent charm and Wes’ uncontrollable need, there wasn’t even any point in trying. 

“Can we go to bed now, Travis?”  Wes hated the sound of pleading in his voice, no matter how hard his begging made his lover.  He hated needing him like this, even if the other man needed him just as much.

“I thought you’d never ask,” he muttered into the blonde’s mouth, kissing him hard and rough. 

“You’ve got to get off of me first,” Wes reminded him with a playful poke to the chest.

Travis chuckled.  “You take all the fun out of things sometimes.”  He stood, helping to haul Wes to his feet.  With a kiss he said, “Go on back, I’ll be right there, just going to check on baby Vi one more time.”

Wes smiled back at him and started down the hall.  He stopped after a few steps, turned and said, “Don’t take too long or I might be asleep when you find me.”

He smiled.  “Believe me, you won’t be asleep for long, baby.”

Travis watched Wes disappear down the hallway towards their bedroom.  Once he was sure the blonde was out of sight, he checked his pocket again.  _Still there._   He had tried to make this birthday a good one for Wes.  The boy worked so hard between his job as a detective and his eternal job as a mother that he deserved to have a good day, free of worry and care.  He only hoped that he had been able to provide that for him today. 

It went against Travis’ nature to plan, but in order to get everything just right, he’d had to do just that.  Thank god for Dakota, however.  Without that crazy woman, he’d have never been able to pull any of this off.  Her perceptiveness had come in handy when trying to make his game plan.  Breakfast at Wes’ favorite spot, a trip to the zoo with Violet.  A quiet dinner at home, just the two of them, while Auntie Kota and Uncle Peter spoiled little Violet for an hour or two.  He was pretty sure he’d gotten it all right for once. 

There was just one last thing left to give the love of his life. 

Well, two, if you counted _that_.  And boy, did Travis ever. 

Wes had stripped to his boxers – a crazy polka dot patterned pair that Travis had given him on a whim a few weeks ago – and rested with hands behind his head, watching the door.  “Took you long enough,” he teased.

“What?  You in a hurry or something?”  Travis pulled his t-shirt over his head and tossed it in the general vicinity of the laundry basket.

“Could you please, for once, make it _in_ the basket,” Wes pleaded from his spot on the bed.

“And how do you know that I didn’t make it this time?”

“Because you never do,” Wes reminded him.  “Now please, get over here, I need you.”

 _Not half as much as I need you, baby._   “On my way,” he promised, shucking his jeans and climbing in beside his lover. 

Travis straddled Wes’ waist, looking down into the blonde’s deep blue eyes.  The sadness he saw hiding behind them clawed at his heart.  He leaned forward, pressing his full lips against Wes’, coaxing them open a little at a time.  Wes groaned into his mouth, asking without words for more.  He had every intention of giving him more – more of everything and then some – but not yet.

“You have a good birthday, baby?”  Travis kissed his chin, his cheek, his forehead before coming back and grazing his lips against Wes’. 

“God yes,” he breathed.  “You thought of everything, really.  I was surprised by how much effort you put into it.”  He wheedled another kiss out of Travis, begging for more. 

“If you had such a good day,” he began, nipping at an exposed ear lobe, “then why are you still so sad?  Did I forget something or do something wrong?”  He prayed that Wes couldn’t feel his heart pounding in fear, but when the blonde went completely still beneath him, he was certain his worry showed. 

“No.  It’s noth—I’m not sad, not really.  Honestly, I’m exhausted, Trav.  That’s all.”  He ran a hand along the length of Travis’ chest, fingers grazing each defined muscle.  Wrapping a hand around the back of his lover’s neck, Wes pulled him in for a kiss. 

Travis complied for a moment, giving Wes the out he seemed to need so desperately.  He pulled back and caught the other’s gaze.  “You promise that’s all it is?  Because if you’re lying to me, I swear...” … _you’ll break my heart._   

Wes’ mouth curled up in a lazy smile. “I promise, honey.  Now fuck me good and hard so I can get some damn sleep for a change!” 

Laughter rumbled out of Travis unexpectedly.  He knew Wes wasn’t being completely honest with him, but he also knew better than to push.  Who knew he could learn patience as well as commitment?  “Have I ever told you how much I love it when that pretty little mouth of yours says such dirty words?”

“No, you haven’t,” Wes confessed, “but I’m sure you can show me how much, can’t you?”

“You have no idea, buttercup,” Travis promised.  “But first, those boxers have got to go.”

Eagerly, Wes shimmied out of his boxers, tossing them nowhere even close to the vicinity of the laundry basket.  He arched his hips into Travis, silently pleading for what he’d been waiting for all day. 

“You know,” he teased playfully, “you didn’t even try to get those in the laundry basket…”  His scolding was interrupted by Wes’ frustrated sigh.  “But I guess we can discuss that later, huh?”

“Dear god, please, much, much later.” 

Wes’ eyes were wide, watching Travis’ every move.  He dove in for a kiss, devouring Wes’ mouth hungrily.  Uninterrupted sex was a thing of the past, they’d unhappily discovered, just as much as slow, lazy Sunday morning sex was.  They’d learned to steal their moments when they could – a quick romp in the shower before breakfast, hot and fast just after Violet’s bedtime.  He only wanted one last thing for Wes on his birthday and that was a bit of tender, drawn out loving.  In spite of his desire to hold the blonde down and ride him for all he was worth, he forced himself to slow down and take his time. 

He gripped Wes’ cock in his hand, slowly stroking and squeezing, teasing him in a way he didn’t get to these days.  Travis kissed his neck, his shoulder, the dip between his pecs.  Flicking his tongue against a nipple, he grinned as Wes’ hips thrust upward. 

“That’s what I want, baby,” he cooed, encouraging.  “Work it all out for me.”

“No,” Wes half-sobbed.  “Please, you feel too good, I’m not going to…”

“Fuck,” Travis growled, feeling more than hearing his lover’s unspoken words.  The blonde’s need was getting to him, too.  Wes squeezed his eyes closed, hands fisting the grey sheets beneath him.  His boy was so ready, he could taste it.  All his good intentions fled in that instant.  “Hold on just a minute, baby, and I’ll give you everything you want.”

Travis reached into the nightstand beside him and fumbled for the well-used tube of lube stashed within.  He squeezed a dollop into the palm of his hand while Wes wriggled out from under him, splaying his legs to either side of Travis’ body. 

“Damn, you really can’t wait, can you?”  He was only partly ashamed at the note of pride he heard in his own voice. 

“No,” Wes gasped.  “I need you, now.  And don’t you dare be gentle with me either.”

His cock hardened to the point of being painful at those words.  Wes took no issue with a little roughness now and then, but much preferred less rambunctious sexual activities.  Travis, on the other hand, loved nothing more than a good, hard fuck.  Being given the green light for just that made him a little bit crazy. 

Travis skimmed his fingers from Wes’ knees to his hips, lightly brushing the golden hairs covering his lover’s skin along the way.  He grasped Wes’ hips and lifted, fitting the head of his aching cock to Wes’ ass.  “Baby, you sure…”

“God Travis, yes.”  His voice broke on the last word, breaking Travis’ restraint with it. 

Thrusting into his lover, Travis bit his bottom lip to keep from crying out.  The mewl of pleasurable pain that escaped his partner only encouraged him.  He pulled back slowly before plunging forward again, harder than before.  Wes lifted his hips to meet Travis’, quicker and more eager each time. 

“That what you want, huh?  Hard and fast like that?”  He illustrated his point with another quick slam of his hips against the blonde.  When no answer came, he pounded into him again for good measure.

Unable to speak, Wes nodded, gripping the bedding tighter.  “Please,” he managed.  “Harder, I’m so damn…”

Wes’ confession was lost in the sound of Travis’ body moving against his, furious, desperate, needy.  He felt Wes’ fingers curl around his neck, gripping.  A grin formed knowing there’d be bruises there in the morning.  Harder, he moved against Wes, delighting in the feel of his lover in his arms, praying that this night would never end, knowing that the end was closer than he liked. 

“Travis,” Wes begged, “kiss me, I…”

Travis didn’t make it to Wes’ mouth in time.  His orgasm ripped through his body, splashing Travis’ chest with hot liquid, filling the air with the cry of his release.  In response, Travis followed quickly, burying his face in Wes’ shoulder, muffling his own yelp.  Wes loosened his grip on Travis’ neck as his lover collapsed on top of him. 

“Damn, Travis.  Just… damn.” 

Travis chuckled. “You’re speechless, I must’ve done good.”  He kissed the side of Wes’ sweaty face gently. 

“Better than good,” he confirmed.  “I think I might even sleep tonight.”  His eyes drifted closed for a brief moment before shooting open.  “Oh no.”

Rolling off of Wes and onto his side, Travis gave him a mock glare.  “Look at what you did, you woke the baby.” 

“It was your fault,” Wes spluttered. 

“Really?  I think you were the one begging for ‘harder’ were you not?” 

Wes’ mouth fell open, unable to deny it. 

Travis kissed his mouth quickly before rolling out of bed.  “I’m teasing, baby.  Go clean up, I’ll get her back to sleep.”

“Are you sure?”  Wes’ maternal instincts, for what they were, kicked in anytime his little girl cried. 

“Positive, now go.”

Wes weaseled another kiss out of him before retreating to the bathroom.  Travis watched him step over his discarded jeans and close the door behind him.  His thoughts went to what was stashed in the right front pocket and frowned.  Wes said he was fine, his actions said otherwise.  There was something bothering his little buttercup, but he didn’t have a clue what it was.  He’d hope that by giving Wes everything he wanted, he could finally be happy.  Now, he wasn’t so sure.    

The only thing he knew for certain was that it certainly wasn’t the right time for this last gift, no matter how much he knew it was _exactly_ what Wes wanted.  An angry wail from the next room forced him into a pair of sweats, out of the room and into the nursery, thoughts still on his right front pants pocket.  


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wish I had been bright enough to remember I'd written a Halloween chapter sooner than I did... I would have posted it earlier. Doh.

_“I got a rock.”  - Charlie Brown_

Age: Eleven Months – October

“Don’t you think she might be too young for all of this,” Wes asked for the fifteenth time that afternoon.

“Hell no,” Travis replied.  “What kid is ever too young for Halloween?”

Wes frowned down at his daughter, skillfully pulling tights up over wiggling legs.  “I don’t know, I just thought, maybe… but we’re only taking her to the station and to see friends, so I guess it’s okay.”

“Of course it is,” Travis assured him.  “It’s all in good fun.  Is she almost ready?”

He looked up at his boyfriend and nodded.  “Just about.”

Wes tugged her lavender princess dress over her head and adjusted it, fluffing the skirt.  He smoothed her hair back and set the plastic and rhinestone tiara on her head, smiling at his handiwork.  Picking up her matching princess slippers, he thought twice before stuffing them into the diaper bag.  Wasn’t much chance they’d stay on as it was, so what was the point?

He brought her to her feet, taking one hand in his.  She toddled alongside him into the living room where Daddy Travis stood with the camera ready. 

“Now who is the prettiest princess in the land?” 

“MEEEEE!” she squealed, happy. 

“You are so right,” he cooed, grinning and snapping a picture of his princess.  “Are we ready?”

“We are.  Where to first?  The station or Dakota’s party?”

“The station so we can catch the girls before they head home.”

“Good point,” Wes agreed, lifting Violet off the ground.  “Let’s go.”

 

Wes never thought he’d be taking his daughter into the morgue and yet, for some reason, it was their first stop after reaching the station.  Jonelle had really gotten into the spirit this year, he noticed.  She’d always had a bit of a morbid sense of humor, but Halloween made it all seem okay.  Her hanging skeleton, used mainly for explaining to dumb cops just where the fibula was, had been wheeled out into the main area, cobwebs and plastic spiders dangling from his spindly bones.  Other assorted paraphernalia was scattered around the viewing area giving the morgue both a creepy and yet festive feel. 

“Nice work, Jonelle,” Travis told her with a grin. 

She’d eventually forgiven him for never calling after their one date a few years before, but she refused to let him know that.  “Thanks.  Just so you know, that skeleton took me out and didn’t call either.”

Travis opened his mouth to apologize – again – for what he’d done but Wes’ laughter interrupted him.  “What’s so funny?”

He shook his head, trying to contain his amusement.  “Oh, nothing,” he lied.

Jonelle cracked a grin.  “He loves watching me yank your chain, detective.  Now are you two going to fess up the little one or not?”

Wes set Violet on the floor and helped her to waddle over to the coroner.  Jonelle squatted before the little girl, a sweet smile gracing her pretty face.  “Do you like candy, little princess?”

“Yah,” she grinned, nodding enthusiastically.

“That’s good to hear because I just happen to have a whole bunch, just for you!”

Giggling, Violet held out her trick-or-treat bag.  Jonelle looked at the boys for approval and, upon gaining a go ahead nod, dumped two big handfuls of assorted chocolate into her bag.  Wes groaned at the amount of candy he saw land inside, half worried about getting his daughter to sleep and half terrified for his waistline. 

“She gets prettier every day, Wes.”  Jonelle toyed with a wayward curl and smiled. 

“Thanks Jonelle,” Wes replied.

“Just too bad she looks so much like your other half,” she teased, using a baby-talk voice to cover her insult. 

 

“Hey, there you two are,” Kate called out, seeing Wes and Travis emerge from the morgue.  “We were about to give up waiting on you.”

“Sorry about that, ladies.”  Travis lifted Violet into the air and seated her on his hip.  “Took longer than we expected to get her ready.”

Wes lifted an eyebrow.  “Travis didn’t believe me when I explained how difficult it is to get her dressed on a normal day.  Tights only made things more… challenging.”

Amy laughed.  “Bet you’ve never been more thankful to live in Cali, huh?”

“Land of the eternally mild climate,” Wes agreed. 

Kate took Violet from Travis, tickling her sides.  “We’ve got something for you, little girl, but it’s back at Auntie Kate’s desk.  Mind if we go back that way?”

“No, not at all,” Wes said.  “We wanted to find Kendall and the Captain, too, before we left.”

“Just promise you don’t have any more candy for her,” Travis teased, tossing a look Wes’ direction.  “I’m not sure Mama’s diet can take all these sweets.”

“Shut up,” Wes muttered under his breath.

Travis pinched his miniscule roll of leftover baby weight.  “Aw, but you know I love you a little pudgy, baby.”

“I hate you.”  Wes growled while Travis laughed. 

“Here you go, Miss Violet,” Kate announced, handing the kid a small Halloween-themed bag. 

“Da?”  She turned in Kate’s arms, holding the bag out to Travis for help.

Travis took the bag and opened it up, looking inside.  “Good news, Wes, no candy.”  Wes grunted, noncommittally.  “Now that’s cute.”

He rustled around inside the bag for a minute before pulling out a greyish black beanbag with purple wings.  Turning the bat around, he discovered a smiling mouth sporting a set of fangs. 

“He’s a vampire bat,” Kate added.  “And I thought he was too cute to pass up.”

“I admit, he’s pretty cute,” Travis agreed, handing the stuffed bat to Violet for approval.  She wrapped one chubby arm around it and grinned.  “I think she agrees.  Nice job, lady.”

Kate bowed.  “Thank you.”

Amy tugged on Wes’ arm, subtly handing him a bag of his own. 

“What’s this?”  He nodded towards the bag.

“Shhh… I got this just for you.”

“Twizzlers?  How’d you know?”  He stuffed the gift into the diaper bag while Travis was preoccupied with Kate and Violet to notice. 

“I pay attention,” was all she said, squeezing his hand.  “And you look like you could use a pick me up tonight.”

The female detectives cooed over the little princess for a few more minutes before excusing themselves to go home for the day.  Halfway to the captain’s office, they ran into Kendall, fresh off some sort of technological high. 

“She is so cute,” Kendall squealed.  “But really guys, a princess?  You couldn’t have dressed her as Wonder Woman or Xena, Warrior Princess?”

Travis gaped, not knowing what to say.  Wes shrugged.  “I took her into the costume store and this is what she picked out.  You’re yelling at the wrong party, Kendall.  She’s too young to be empowered.”

“Still, you should have…”

“Forced something else on her,” Wes asked, teasing, but also trying to make a point.  “And what would you have said then?  Besides, this is more fitting, seeing as she is the queen of our little family.”

“True that,” Travis agreed.  “And she rules with a pudgy little iron fist.”

Kendall softened, looking at the miniature royalty.  “She really is adorable though.  You make a pretty little princess, Violet.”

“Tanks,” Vi replied, lifting her skirt in one hand.  “Candy?”

“Uh…,” Kendall stalled.  “Sorry guys, I really didn’t think…”

Wes laughed.  “Don’t worry about it.  Trust me, the last thing this kid needs is more sugar.”

 

Luckily, Captain Sutton was still in his office when they managed to make it across the squad room.  Travis rapped on the glass door before pushing it open.  “You in here, Cap?”

“Sure am, boys, come on in.”  He stood and watched as they entered, eyes never leaving the little one staggering beside Wes.  “Well, well, well,” he chuckled.  “What do we have here?”

“Princess Violet Mitchell-Marks,” Travis announced proudly. 

“I can see that,” Sutton replied.  “And so regal, too.”  He pulled a sucker shaped like a large piece of candy corn out of his desk drawer and handed it to her.  Wes groaned.

“Relax, baby, we’ll put it all up out of her reach.  Yours too,” he teased.

“I still remember the day you two came in here to announce this blessed little event’s presence in our lives.  I didn’t believe it then.  I think I believe it even less now.”  He shook his head, smiling.  “I couldn’t be prouder, boys.  The therapy seems to have done you both more than a little good.”

Wes couldn’t deny the truth of that.  They both owed the captain everything they had together.  Had it not been for him forcing them into couple’s therapy, they’d have broken up not just on a professional level, but on a personal one, too.  They’d have lost so much if they’d given up back then. 

“More than you can know, Cap,” Travis agreed.  He winked at Wes who smiled back.

“Ditto what Marks just said.”

“Still can’t quite wrap my head around all of this, but I’m happy for you both.  You did good, boys.”

 

“So, onward to Dakota’s,” Wes asked, tucking Violet into her car seat, stashing the bag of candy as far out of her reach as he could get it.  “Or can we go home and claim we forgot?”

“Ah ah ahh,” Travis scolded, “no bailing on baby girl’s big night!”

Wes sighed.  He had to try, right?  “Okay, okay… away to the annoying, overly exuberant women and their patient but pathetic men.”

“THERE SHE IS,” Dakota cried from the front porch. 

Wes had barely gotten Violet out of the car seat before her daytime nanny had snatched her out of his grip.  “Dakota,” he said, too late.  “Wait…”

She looked back over her shoulder, silly grin plastered across her face, “Oh you, you just go relax and have some apple cider.  I’ll take care of the little pumpkin for you.”

He pressed his lips together in an attempt to keep from screaming senselessly. 

Travis clapped him on the back.  “C’mon baby, let’s go have a beer and let the women handle the kid for a few minutes.”

Wes watched helplessly as Dakota carried his little princess to show off to the other women.  “Grab me a glass of cider when you have a chance, I’m not letting Violet out of my sight.  No telling what those women will give her.” 

Shaking his head, Travis headed off towards the group of men gathered on the lawn. 

“Wes, I thought I told you to let me handle her for a bit,” Dakota scolded. 

He shrugged.  “What can I say, I hate letting her out of my sight,” he lied.

Mrs. Dumont squeezed one little princess cheek.  “I can sure see why, she’s such a doll.  Is she a good baby?”

Wes beamed with pride.  “She’s a great baby.  A little mouthy at times, but we can’t exactly blame her for that, can we?”

“No!” Violet agreed.  “Dada!”

Rozelle laughed.  “Oh boy, you’re going to have your hands full with this one,” she observed.

“Going to?”  Wes chuckled.   “She’s already a handful.  I’m dreading the teen years to come.”

Mrs. Dumont patted his arm.  “My oldest boy was a rotten toddler, but he was the least troublesome of all my kids, so there’s a chance that she might not be as much trouble as you expect.”

“Right, leave that for the next one,” Rozelle added.  “It’s the sweet and innocent ones that get brought home by the cops.  Wait…”

Wes paled.  Dakota came to his rescue, bringing his attention back to the present before he could dwell too much in the future.  “Which brings me to the big question of the night.”  She looked to Rozelle and Mrs. Dumont.

“I know I’m going to regret asking but what is the big question of the night?”  He rubbed his fingers against his temple, waiting for whatever cockamamie idea Dakota had stuck in her head now. 

“You are such a silly boy, Wes.  Isn’t it obvious?  Violet’s almost a year old now.”

“And?”

“And,” Rozelle stepped in, “we were wondering when you two were planning on having another.”

Wes swallowed, hard.  “Another what?”

“Baby,” Mrs. Dumont put in gently.  “Adoption would probably be the best route, considering how rough your pregnancy was, but the natural route is always wonderful, too.”

“Oh good god,” Wes muttered darkly.  “I need to find Travis.”

 

“She asked you _what_?” Travis giggled with glee.

He knew he should have just kept it to himself, but he had thought maybe, just maybe, Travis would feel his pain.  “When we were going to have another baby.  At least Mrs. Dumont was kind enough to suggest adoption.”

Travis’ mirth spilled over into the backseat and even the more than exhausted Violet began giggling.  “Baaay-bee,” she said.  “Bay-bee, bay-bee, baaaaaay-beeeeee!”

“See, Baby Vi is on board,” Travis teased.

Wes stared out the windshield and focused on the road.  Travis and Violet were going to make him crash.  Intentionally if Travis kept on this line of discussion.

“Aw, c’mon, man, you know you can’t have just one.  I mean, it’s been rough at times with baby girl back there, but she really has been worth all the tough times.”

Travis had a point.  As difficult as this year had been, she was the best thing to have ever come into his life.  And yet…  “Travis, I don’t know.  My first try at this wasn’t all that pleasant if you remember.  Puking and peeing and…”

“…being grouchy and hungry all the time,” Travis supplied unhelpfully.  “But, on the flip side, you were also incredibly horny all the time, too.  That’s a plus.”

Wes sighed.  “Only you would think so.  I don’t know if I can go through all that again, especially with a rapidly growing child already in the house.  She’s going to be walking soon and, well, can you see me trying to run after her with a huge belly?”

“Travis?”

Wes chanced a glance over at the passenger seat of the car and frowned.  “Travis?”

“What?  Oh, sorry, I was just picturing that and…”

“I hate you.”

“You love me,” he clarified.  “But you know what?  It’s all good.  Whatever happens, happens.  I couldn’t ever tell you no if you asked, but I’m not going to pressure you either.  I told you before just you and me was enough.  She’s a blessed bonus.  If it’s the three of us for the rest of our lives, I’m good with that.”

He was quiet for a moment, focusing on the road before him.  It was worth thinking about, he could admit to that, but he definitely wasn’t going to make any definite plans yet.  “Thanks, Travis, for understanding and not pressing the issue.”

“Hey, what can I say?  Sometimes the two of you are more than I can handle.”

Wes almost ran off the road.  


	6. Chapter 6

_“May you live to be one hundred and may the last voice you hear be mine.” – Frank Sinatra_

Age: One Year – November

“Where’s the birthday girl?” Rozelle asked, pointing Clyde to a table piled with gifts. 

“Here she is,” Travis announced following behind Violet, grinning like the proud papa he was.

“Look at her walking,” Mrs. Dumont exclaimed.  “When did she start that?”

“About a week after Halloween,” Dakota explained to the other ladies, beaming like it was her own daughter she was bragging on.  “You should have seen these two the morning after when I arrived.”

“I a big girl,” Violet told anyone who would listen.  “I walk now.” 

“Yes, you do,” Wes agreed.  “You also climb out of your crib and climb into our bed when we least expect it, don’t you.”

“Yeah,” she acknowledged.  “I sure do, mama.”

Rozelle slapped a hand over her mouth, but the laughter escaped anyway.

“Still haven’t gotten her to stop that yet, have you,” Dakota observed.

Wes glared at his daughter as she tottered off after Uncle Peter.  “No,” he sighed.  “And I don’t think I ever will.”

“Suck it up and learn to live with it,” Clyde suggested.  “My nephew liked to call me ‘Cluck’ because he couldn’t quite get ‘Clyde’ out.  After a while, you learn to roll with it.”

“Noted,” Wes said.  Although, he figured Cluck was better than being called a girl. 

“Truthfully Wes,” Dr. Ryan said as the others moved away from the door, “enjoy it as long as you can.  You’ll only be ‘mama’ for a very short time.  Before long you’ll be moooooom.”  She punctuated her statement with an eye roll.

“Thanks, Dr. Ryan. Just have a hard time with the idea my daughter finds me feminine.”

“It’s not that at all.  You are the one she relates to in respect to nurturing and caregiving, thus making you her mother.  Travis, on the other hand…”

They both looked into the living room to see Travis giving airplane rides to the gathered children.  “Travis, is the one she looks to for fun.  Great.”

Dr. Ryan patted Wes on the back.  “Just as long as you both stand firm and united when it comes to her discipline, she’ll never look to one of you as the ‘good parent’ and the ‘bad parent’.”

 

Presents should be optional at a party for a one year old, Wes thought, eyeing the table piled high with pretty boxes and bags.  No child needed that many toys and outfits.  Not even one as destructive and messy as his little princess. 

Travis had warned him ahead of time not to even try to tell people not to bring gifts – or to only bring one, which had been his secondary plan.  He had been informed that people loved first birthdays and that there was no stopping or controlling them either.  As much as he hated it, he gave in.

He was kind of glad he had.  Never would he have believed that a bunch of people he worked with – Kate, Amy, Jonelle, Kendall and even the captain – and a handful of people he hardly knew – Clyde and Rozelle, the Dumonts, and Dakota and Peter, of course – could be so kind and generous to a child that they had no real ties to.  It warmed his heart to know that he wasn’t just that jerk detective everyone loved to hate any longer.  He was a real man with a kid everyone loved and a boyfriend he couldn’t get enough of. 

 

“Anybody want some caaaaaake,” Travis called into the room full of their closest friends. 

“YES,” Kate and Jonelle cried in unison.  “JINX!”

“Somebody’s on the rag,” Kendall snickered to Amy, who nodded.

“We heard that,” Kate defended.

“Are you saying it isn’t true,” Amy teased, knowing her partner a little better than she should.

“Well…” Jonelle deflected.  “Maybe we just like cake?”

“Works for me,” Wes interrupted, praying to god someone else had _that talk_ with Violet when the time came. 

“Cake for the birthday girl,” Travis announced, placing a small round cake in front of the plastic shrouded high chair.  It had purple flowers – Violets, of course – and baby blue trim decorating the white frosting.  Travis had joked about adding little yellow buttercups, but Wes had forbid it.  It was bad enough he had to live with the nickname, he didn’t need the entire world privy to it. 

“And a spare cake for the adults,” Wes added from behind, placing the larger cake on the table, out of Violet’s reach.  “Because Violet sure isn’t going to share.” 

It was a good thing, too.  Before the group could get through the second line of “Happy Birthday”, Violet had smeared frosting and cake on every possible surface, including herself and Travis, who had been standing nearby.  Wes groaned inwardly, itching to reach for a sponge and a bottle of Clorox, but a gentle touch and restraining smile kept him in check.

“She only gets free reign to do this once,” Dakota reminded him.  “Next year, she’ll use a fork.”

Wes took a deep, cleansing breath, channeling some of Captain Sutton’s inner peace to get through the fiasco that was to come.    Bath time was going to be an adventure later. 

“Caaaaake,” Violet cried happily.  “I loves cakes!”

“Apparently she loves wearing it, too,” Wes said dismally. 

“Remember what I said, Wes.  She only gets to do this once.”

“While that may be true,” Wes commented, covering his eyes as more cake wound up in Violet’s hair, “I may never get all the frosting out of her clothes.”

“Here baby, have some cake and chill out.”  Travis grinned slyly as he went back to baby duty.  “A little sugar might sweeten that sour disposition of yours.”

 

“Whew, I think that was the last one.”  Travis entered the kitchen and parked his butt against the sink. 

 Wes eyed him from the other side, washing the last few dishes.  “You could help, you know,” he gently scolded.  He’d love a little help, but Travis had done so much during the party, including handling a child covered in frosting, he was loath to ask for any now.   

“Sure, baby, sure.  You want me to dry or should I check on the birthday girl first?”  He looked over his shoulder in the direction of the nursery.

He gave a tired smile. “You can go check on her, but trust me she’s out like a light.  I put her down and she didn’t even so much as flutter an eyelid.  I think her sugar high finally crashed and burned.”

Travis grinned. “Good, maybe we can get a little alone time in later.”  He hip checked the blonde playfully. 

His boyfriend’s wicked grin stirred more than his return smile.  “We’ll see if I can stay awake long enough for anything more than a little alone time with my pillow.”

“Aw, my poor wilting buttercup,” Travis teased, grabbing a dish towel and starting to dry.  “I’ve noticed you’ve been more tired than usual, you okay?”

Wes nodded.  “Yeah, I think so.  It must be the time of year or all the party planning, something’s wearing me out.  I’ll be fine in a few days, I’m sure.  Now that we don’t have anything until Christmas, maybe I can relax for more than a minute.”

“Okay, but if you’re not…”

“…I’ll go see the doctor,” he finished for him, having been down this road with Travis more than once.  “I promise.”

“Good.  You have more than just you to worry about now, you know.”  He tugged on Wes’ belt loop for emphasis. 

Wes laughed loudly.  “Look around this place, how can I forget?  I used to pride myself on being so neat and orderly.  Now?   Now, I’m happy to find socks that match.”

“The good news is, you have help,” Travis reminded him.

“Such that it is,” Wes retorted, motioning to remind Travis he had to actually pick up the dishes to dry them. 

“Yeah, well, I never claimed to be a homemaker.”  He flipped the dish towel over his shoulder and plopped a hip against the sink, watching Wes wash the last plate.   “But I do have other redeeming qualities that make up for my lack of cleaning skills.”

“You mind catching up there?  We have more to put in order before I can ever comfortably think about sleep.”

“Sure,” Travis agreed, “but there’s one thing I need to catch up on first.”

“Oh?”  Wes waited, eager to see what excuse Travis was going to use to drag him off to bed, leaving the chores until tomorrow as usual.  Not that he planned on putting up much of a fight, but he couldn’t just let him have his way, could he?  Or could he?  “What’s that?”

“Nothing much, just something I’ve been meaning to give you for a while now.  Close your eyes.”

“No way am I falling for that again,” Wes said.

Mirth bubbled out of Travis.  “Yanno, baby, it’s big, but even I doubt it’s big enough to get in your mouth while we’re both standing.”

“God bless it, Travis that is not what I meant!”  Although, he had to admit, he _had_ fallen for that one… a couple times.  Maybe once or twice on purpose.   

“Trust me for once, okay?”  He turned Wes so that his back was against the sink.  “Now close those pretty blue peepers for me.”

Wes sighed.  “Okay.  Just no funny stuff.”

“Promise.” 

 

Travis waited until Wes closed his eyes, relaxing back against the sink.   Once he was certain he wasn’t peeking, he dropped to a knee and fished Wes’ much belated birthday present out of his front pocket.  He had taken to carrying it with him wherever they went, always thinking that the right time would present itself and he wanted to be prepared.

 

He turned the humble band of white gold over in the palm of his hand, wondering again if Wes would appreciate its simplicity.  Wes appreciated the simple things in life – fine Scotch, a quiet moment when the baby was asleep, he was relatively certain he’d appreciate this, too.  There was only one way to find out. 

“I’m going to fall asleep standing if you don’t hurry up, Marks,” Wes muttered from above him.

“Always taking the romance out of things,” he replied, smiling.

“Travis?  Why is your voice coming from below me?”  Wes’ head moved from side to side, listening. 

 _Shit._   “Don’t you dare open your eyes yet.”  _It’s now or never, dumbass, make your move._   Travis took a deep breath before taking Wes’ hand in his.   “I don’t think I tell you often enough how much I appreciate you and all you do.  I know I don’t tell you I love you enough.”

“Travis…” Wes began, sounding slightly worried at his lover’s tone of voice.

“Nuh-uh, shhh.  Let me finish.  These past however many months have really opened my eyes.  I see now that I can be happy with one person and that commitment isn’t a dirty word.  And to prove it, I have something for you.  I only wish I had done this sooner.”

Pushing all self-doubt aside, he slipped the band onto Wes’ left hand.  The touch of metal to skin resulted in a surprised gasp, followed by the flutter golden eyelashes.  Two of the bluest eyes he’d ever known widened in surprise.    

“What do you say, baby?  Marry me?”  He smiled up at the blonde from his place on the floor, waiting.

 

 _What do you say?  Was he crazy?_   “Travis I… I don’t even know…”

“Oh dear god, just don’t say no!”  Travis gave a nervous laugh that nearly broke Wes’ heart. 

“Of course not you idiot, why would I say no?  I can’t even say yes properly!”  He fought the tears he knew were on the brink of falling.  Happy or not, he was _not_ going to cry!

Following a whoop of triumph, Travis leapt to his feet, hugging Wes tightly against him.  His lips found Wes’ on their own, smothering the smaller man with his kisses.  “Thank you, Wes, we can really be a family now.”

Wes pulled away from Travis’ enthusiastic kisses, drawing his boyfriend’s attention to him.  “Something I’ve learned from you over the last year is that we already are a family.  We don’t have to be married for that to happen.  For that, I’m more grateful than anyone can ever know.  Even so, I’m not going to turn this down.  With my luck, you’ll change your mind if I do.”

“Never, baby.  Not on your life.”

 

Travis nipped at Wes’ neck, distracting him from the toothbrush currently in his mouth.  “Hurry up, I’m not sure how much longer I can keep my hands off you, my darling husband-to-be.”

Wes chuckled around a mouthful of Colgate.  “Keep your pants on,” he joked.  “Or not, preferably.  I’ll be right there.”

“I’m counting to ten and if you’re not here by then, I’m coming to get you,” he threatened.

“Then let’s hope I can pee before you get to ten,” Wes taunted back. 

He closed the bathroom door behind him, intending to do just that, when he was overcome with a very familiar and horribly unwelcome feeling.  “Oh god no,” he begged as the last thing he’d eaten – chocolate cake and French vanilla ice cream – revolted in his stomach.  With the practice gained during the long months of morning sickness, he flipped open the toilet lid with barely a moment to spare, hurling his dessert into the bowl.

A knock sounded on the bathroom door.  “Wes?  You okay man?”

“Yeah,” Wes groaned, wiping his mouth.  He opened the bathroom door and faced his now-fiancé.  “Mystery solved.  I’m tired because I’m pretty sure I’m coming down with something.”

Travis made a face.  “So I heard.  C’mon, come to bed, we can celebrate when you’re feeling better.”  He put an arm around Wes’ waist and led him to their bed. 

Wes climbed in with Travis right behind him.  He leaned back into Travis’ warm, strong body and sighed.  His eyes fluttered closed, and he slept.     

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whelp, this is the end... for now. :)


End file.
